Tool for holding and driving-in of clips for electric cables

ABSTRACT

Tool for holding and driving-in of clips of various sizes for electric cables. The tool comprises a handle having a holding and driving-in member attached to one end thereof, and the driving-in member being includes on two opposing sides, resilient plates and includes a plurality of stepped grooves in the two sides thereof between the resilient plates. At least the outer of the said grooves being shorter than the width of the driving-in member between the resilient plates.

D United States Patent [72] Inventor Kjell Christensen References C t Oslo, Norway UNITED STATES PATENTS [2 pp 778,232 1,213,334 1/1917 Chapman 145/46 filled d g g- 2,743,444 5/1956 Thomas 145/46 atente e [73] Assignee A/S Elektrol'abrikken Arne Brinchmann FOREIGN PATENTS skoyemoslmlqomay 130,742 2/1951 Sweden 227/149 Primary ExaminerGranville Y. Custer, Jr. Attorney-McGlew and Toren [54] g DRIVING'IN 0F CLIPS ABSTRACT: Tool for holding and driving-in of clips of vari- FOR L S ous sizes for electric cables. The tool comprises a handle hav- Drawing ing a holding and driving-in member attached to one end [52] US. Cl 227/149, thereof, and the driving-in member includes on two op- 145/46 posing sides, resilient plates and includes a plurality of stepped [51] Int. Cl. B25c 7/00 grooves in thetwo sides thereof between the resilient plates. [50] Field of Search 145/46; At least the outer of the said grooves being shorter than the width of the driving-in member between the resilient plates.

'I'DOL FOR HOLDING AND DRIVING-1N OF CLIPS FOR ELECTRIC CABLES The present invention relates to a tool for holding and driving-in of clips of various sizes for electric cables. The clips are of the type consisting of a substantially u-shaped plate member, adapted to engage the cable, and a penetrating point in the form of a needle or screw attached to the plate member. The tool comprises a handle having a holding and driving-in member attached to the one end thereof.

Tools for holding and driving in of clips of the said type, for electric cables, where the tool comprises a handle having a holding and driving-in member, are known. The free end of such a driving-in member is of a shape such as to fit between the two upwardly directed clip members and the drivingin member is defined on two opposing sides byresilient plates. The actual driving-in member is somewhat narrower than the width of the clips and said clips will thus project slightly on either side of said driving-in member. These projecting portions bear against the resilient plates, and the clips is thus retained between the two said resilient plate members.

At a mounting location for such electric cables, for example, a building, cables of varying cross section are needed, and clips of different sizes are necessary. In general, three sizes of clips are necessary in a normal layout and electricians have found it previously necessary to carry three different tools to the place of work in order to drive in clips of different sizes. This is extremely inconvenient and the electrician, who often uses a belt having loops or pockets for transport of tools, is limited in the number of tools he is able to carry. There has thus been a need for a combined tool by means of which it is possible to drive in clips of different sizes with a single tool.

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a tool for holding and driving in of different sized clips for electric cables, the said clips consisting of a substantially U-shaped plate member, adapted to engage a cable, and a needle or screw attached to said plate member.

According to the invention this is achieved by a holding and driving-in tool comprising a handle having a holding and driving-in member attached to one end thereof, the said driving-in member being defined on two opposing sides by resilient plates and having a plurality of stepped grooves in the two sides thereof between the resilient plates, at least the outer of the said grooves being shorter than the width of the driving-in member between the resilient plates.

The groove in the driving-in member which is closest the handle extends over the entire width of the driving-in member, while the outer, grooves extend from one of the edges of the driving-in member which faces the resilient plates, and the said grooves terminate in a step in the driving-in member. The first groove, closest the free end of the driving-in member, extends from one edge of said member for a determined distance in the driving-in member and the adjacent groove extends from the opposing side and in the driving-in member and is longer than the first said groove.v 1

In a practical embodiment of the resilient plate members the said members are formed integrally so as to extend across the side of the drivingin member which faces towards the handle.

The invention is further explained in the following with reference to the drawing where:

FIG. I shows the tool in its entirety shown in diagram and viewed inwardly toward the grooves in the driving-in member.

FIG. 2 is a section through the driving-in member along the line II-Il in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a similar section along the line Ill-III in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 shows the driving-in member of the tool with resilient plates, the smallest type of clips being inserted in the member.

FIG. 5 shows the same but with a medium sized clip inserted.

FIG. 6 also shows the same as FIGS. 4 and 5, but with the largest type of clips inserted in the drivingin member.

FIG. 7 shows in larger dimension a secton through the driving-in member transversely of the grooves and illustrates how the different clips are positioned in the drivingin member.

The tool according to the invention consists of a handle I to one end of which is attached a holding and driving-in member 2. Resilient clip-engaging means in the form of a U-shaped resilient member or plate 5, having resilient legs 3 and 4, is attached by means of a central portion between the handle I and the driving-in member 2. The driving-in member 2 is provided at opposing sides with a plurality of stepped grooves 6, 7, 8. The first groove 6, which is intended for the smallest clips 9, extends from one side of the driving-in member and in the driving-in member 2. The said groove terminating against a step 10 which forms a support for the clips when said clips are inserted in position as shown in FIG. 4. The clips 9 are somewhat wider than the length of the groove 6 and will thus extend outside the edge of the driving-in member 2 and be maintained in bearing relationship against the step 10 of the leg 4 resilient the plate. The groove 7 extends into the drivingin member from the opposing side and is somewhat longer than the groove 6. This groove also terminates against a step, the step 11, see FIG. 3. The said groove is adapted to receive the clips 12. In the same manner as with the clips 9, the clips 12 are somewhat wider than its groove 7 and extend outside the driving-in member 2 and are retained by the resilient plate 3 in close bearing relationship with the step 11.

The two previously described grooves 6 and 7 tenninate in the driving-in member, bearing against the respective steps 10 and 11, the last groove 8 tenninating blind in the driving-in member. This groove is adapted to receive the clips 13 which are somewhat wider than the the entire driving-in member 2 and is thus retained by the tension between the two resilient plates 3, 4. The clips for electric cables are placed in position in that the point of the needle 14 is positioned against the base surface whereon the clips are to be disposed, and the needle is driven in by means of a hammer blow upon the end of the bandle l.

In order to achieve good control and holding of the clips during the driving-in operation, the distance from the lower end 15 of the driving-in member 2 to each of the grooves 6, 7, 8 is adapted to the internal U-shape of each of the clips 9, l2, l3.

Iclaim:

l. A device for driving in clips for electric cables which clips include a U-shaped top portion of varying stock sizes and having side legs and a bottom which forms said U-shaped top portion with a penetrating point extending outwardly from the bottom on the opposite side from said U-shaped portion to be driven into a receiving material, comprising a handle portion, a driving in member extending downwardly from the lower end of said handle portion and having first and second end walls and first and second side walls between said end walls, said side walls having a plurality of corresponding laterally aligned sets of grooves on respective first and second sides, said sets being defined at varying heights from the bottom of said driving in member corresponding to the heights of the side legs of the U-shaped top portions of the associated clip stock sizes and each groove of each set being of a length selected to be slightly smaller than a stock size length of the U- shaped top portion of the clip to be engaged therein so that a clip positioned therein projects beyond an end of said driving in member, and resilient means carried by said driving in member and extending along at least one end thereof for resiliently engaging and holding a clip in an associated groove.

2. A device, according to claim 1, wherein there are at least three separate sets of grooves, alternate sets extending inwardly from said first end and from said second end, respectively and wherein said resilient means extends along both ends of said driving member.

3. A device, according to claim 2, wherein there are at least three sets of grooves, at least one set extending inwardly from said first end wall and one set extending inwardly from said second wall.

4. A device, according to claim 1 wherein each of said grooves terminate at their upper ends in a step portion against which the associated clip is adapted to engage.

5. A device, according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said grooves extend along the complete length of said first and second side walls.

6. A device, according to claim 1 wherein said resilient means includes a resilient plate portion extending downwardly along each end of said member, at least one of said grooves extending inwardly from said first end, and at least one of said grooves extending inwardly from said second end and terminating short of said first end.

7. A device, according to claim I, wherein there are at least three sets of grooves defined in said driving in member includ- 

1. A device for driving in clips for electric cables which clips include a U-shaped top portion of varying stock sizes and having side legs and a bottom which forms said U-shaped top portion with a penetrating point extending outwardly from the bottom on the opposite side from said U-shaped portion to be driven into a receiving material, comprising a handle portion, a driving in member extending downwardly from the lower end of said handle portion and having first and second end walls and first and second side walls beTween said end walls, said side walls having a plurality of corresponding laterally aligned sets of grooves on respective first and second sides, said sets being defined at varying heights from the bottom of said driving in member corresponding to the heights of the side legs of the U-shaped top portions of the associated clip stock sizes and each groove of each set being of a length selected to be slightly smaller than a stock size length of the U-shaped top portion of the clip to be engaged therein so that a clip positioned therein projects beyond an end of said driving in member, and resilient means carried by said driving in member and extending along at least one end thereof for resiliently engaging and holding a clip in an associated groove.
 2. A device, according to claim 1, wherein there are at least three separate sets of grooves, alternate sets extending inwardly from said first end and from said second end, respectively and wherein said resilient means extends along both ends of said driving member.
 3. A device, according to claim 2, wherein there are at least three sets of grooves, at least one set extending inwardly from said first end wall and one set extending inwardly from said second wall.
 4. A device, according to claim 1 wherein each of said grooves terminate at their upper ends in a step portion against which the associated clip is adapted to engage.
 5. A device, according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said grooves extend along the complete length of said first and second side walls.
 6. A device, according to claim 1 wherein said resilient means includes a resilient plate portion extending downwardly along each end of said member, at least one of said grooves extending inwardly from said first end, and at least one of said grooves extending inwardly from said second end and terminating short of said first end.
 7. A device, according to claim 1, wherein there are at least three sets of grooves defined in said driving in member including a lowermost set extending inwardly from said first end and terminating short of said second end, and intermediate set extending inwardly from said second end and terminating short of said first end and upper set extending completely along the sides from said first end to said second end, said resilient means comprising a resilient plate extending downwardly along each of said first and second ends, each of said grooves terminating in stepped portion forming an abutment for the upper ends of the leg portions of each of the clips which are engageable therein. 